The moon sets 6:40 a.m. today, rises 8:10
p.m. Wednesday. It is two days after the full moon.

100 years ago today

1913: Powerful power strike:
"Yesterday afternoon the trolley companies, the industries and the newspaper
offices lost electric power, due to some trouble at the plants of the Eastern
Pennsylvania Power Company. The loss of power at this time was a serious matter
to the newspapers, and accounts for the fact that a full quota of late
telegraphic news did not appear last evening. The Chipman hosiery mills shut
down and the employees were sent home."

^ Name
recognition: "The E.J. Richards, third vice president of the Eastern
Pennsylvania Power Company, who is frequently mentioned in the controversy of
the strike, is not E.J. Richards, president of the Northampton National Bank.
The latter gentleman has no connection whatsoever with the power company."

50 years ago today

1963: Just tall enough: "An
11-year-old Allentown boy was
rescued from the icy water of the Jordan
Creek yesterday after the ice upon
which he was walking collapsed. Kurt Yarnall, son of Mr. and Mrs. William
Yarnall, Park Street, was
pulled from the water by George Slivka, operator of a nearby service station.
Slivka waded fully dressed into the creek and carried out the boy. The boy did
not get excited, according to reports, but treaded water and managed to keep
his head above the surface. He is 4 feet 10 inches tall; the water was about
41/2 feet deep. He found he could rest a few moments by touching his feet to
the bottom."

25 years ago today

1988: Ahead of his time: "Washington,
D.C. — The head of New
Jersey's state police says a federally imposed waiting period for gun purchases
would save lives by making violence-prone gun customers cool down before
getting armed. State police Superintendent Col. Clinton Pagano urged lawmakers
to beef up federal gun laws by adding a nationwide, mandatory waiting period
for firearms purchases. Also under consideration are plans to require
background checks of would-be buyers, including comparison of their fingerprints
to FBI records. The NRA called the plan 'irrelevant, useless, costly and
unconstitutional.' But Pagano called the proposals 'absolutely important' to
law enforcement."

Quote of the day

"Nothing is more frightful than laughter when it comes to
jealousy." — Francoise Sagan, French author (1935-2004)

Almanac is compiled by Pete Brekus, Express-Times news
assistant. He can be reached at 610-258-7171
or at pbrekus@express-times.com.